Oregon runner to run across the UK to raise money for VolNepal - follow her on RunOregon

The following is a letter sent to us by Samone Brockett to kick off a journey she's taking in order to raise money for Volunteer Nepal National Group in order to build a health clinic. Brockett ran track in high school and college, and now works as a coach at Sunset High School. We will post her updates about once a week, or you can follow her on her own blog posted below. We wish her the best of luck!

Dear RunOregon Community,

Courtesy Samone BrockettBrockett before her start at Duncansby Head.

My name is Samone Brockett, and for the next 4 weeks I will be contributing to the RunOregon blog. Starting today, I am running across the UK from John O'Groats (the northeast) to Land's End (the southwest).

I plan to average 30 miles a day for 30 days, having me arrive at Land's End on May 19th. I am doing the run to raise funds for Volunteer Nepal National Group (VolNepal), a Nepal-based organization that provides support, education, housing, and healthcare to those in need in Kathmandu and the surrounding area.

All of the proceeds raised through my run will go towards a new health clinic in Kathmandu for those who do not have access to regular health care.

Many people have asked me why I have chosen VolNepal and universal health care as my charity. My answer is always the same: because I believe that everyone has the right to basic health care, including a midwife and vaccinations, something that many children and women in developing countries go without. I am also volunteering with VolNepal this summer in a health clinic about 50 miles outside of Kathmandu, and I wanted to give more to the charity that is helping me do something I love.

Courtesy Samone BrockettHere, Samone and her mother stand by their mobile aid station the day before Brockett's journey begins.

Other people have expressed concern that my body will breakdown half way through. But, I think I have been working towards this since I started running cross country at Sunset High School. Each year, including college, I have progressed and increased my mileage. I have also run two marathons (the 2009 London Marathon and the 2010 Portland Marathon), so I have an idea, no matter how small, of what I am getting into.

If you would like to follow me daily, I will be blogging at my website www.samoneruns.com. You can also find out more information about myself and my charity, VolNepal, there.

I hope to bring many stories to my blog, and look forward to writing them the next couple of weeks.